Live in Pattaya

Pattaya (73)

Pattaya’s new Wombats club will host the first ever 10s rugby league tournament in the nation on October 12th-13th, 2013, with some 200,000 baht (AUD6,650) in prize money.

The tournament will be held at the Horseshoe Point Resort which has been totally renovated for the competition and has recently upgraded its pitch and facilities. Horseshoe Point is just ten minutes’ drive from Pattaya and one hour from Bangkok’s main international airport.

In Part Two, we continue looking at Thai culture and the importance of being aware of social customs and practices when doing business in Thailand.

Body Language

Touching between people of the same sex is more common in Thailand than in many other Asian countries. However, touching someone of the opposite sex is taboo. Do not show affection in public. Never touch or pass anything over anyone’s head. The head is considered sacred in Thailand and must be respected.

Thailand is the third most popular place to buy property after the US and Spain, according to Themovechannel.com’s Top of the Props, with the Kingdom accounting for 6.78 percent of all enquiries on the real estate portal in April. According to the site, this is Thailand’s highest ranking ever, driven largely by an increase in activity in Pattaya.

For those with a knowledge of Pattaya this may come as a surprise but the infamous costal retreat has in fact undergone what could be termed a gentrification in recent years. Of course, Pattaya will be Pattaya but the city’s image is changing from a seedy getaway to a sound investment case. One cannot deny the flurry of activity in the condominium market in areas such as Wongamat, Pratumnak Hill and Jomtien.

Joe Lizzerd wants our clients, prospective customers and visitors to be fully informed about getting to and from Pattaya; and to have a handy reference you can pass on to your friends and acquaintances who might be visiting you or coming to Pattaya for the first time. Here is your own ‘insider’ version of transportation tips, secrets, prices, useful resources & links and things to avoid to successfully go to and from Pattaya.

It’s hard to think of anyone getting bored or tired of Pattaya. But one of the reasons people live here, is because in only 15 minutes, you can be on another island! Today Joe Lizzerd shares with our readers who are not yet familiar with our neighboring island, Koh Larn, information that makes it easy to run away from Pattaya for a few hours or a few days.

TO GET THERE:

In an effort to tap the lucrative Australian job market of off shore oil platform workers, and miners, who typically spend long holidays after every couple of months of work, Australian tour companies are targeting this high-earning demographic with exotic tours to Pattaya.

Joe Lizzerd ran across one such tour offered, and for our Aussie visitors, here are the 9 most popular places they take their customers, with a brief description of each. And at the end, there are some ‘customer testimonials’ from their satisfied Aussie customers!

Thai value systems regarding dress, social behavior, religion, authority figures, and sexuality are much more conservative than those of the average Westerner. Although the Thais are an extremely tolerant and forgiving race of people blessed with a gentle religion and an easygoing approach to life, visitors would do well to observe proper social customs to avoid embarrassment and misunderstanding.

Thais are tolerant of individualism, but find comfort and security in being part of a group. Thais are productive and hard working while at the same time happy with what they are and what they have materially. They are smiling, pleasant, humble and patient people who laugh easily, speak softly, are slow to anger, and never try to cause anyone to lose face. Thais are very proud of their cultural heritage and enjoy talking about it with visitors.

The Silverlake Vineyard is one of those ‘must see’ attractions in Pattaya, it is conveniently situated next to the famous laser sculptured Buddha image at Khao Chi Chan mountain, so it is obvious you must see these two attractions in one trip. You will probably spend more time at the Silver Lake vineyard as there is much more to see and it covers a very big area.

The garden area is what makes Silver Lake Vineyard famous, there are wonderful landscapes for you to enjoy. Simply put, you go here for the view. We were here on 31 October 2011 and later we came back on 10 September 2012. I must admit that a lot has changed in less than one year.

Most of Joe Lizzerd’s prospective customers ask about internet service in Pattaya, as this has become the most popular form of communication for both personal and business purposes.

When living in Pattaya you will find that it is fairly easy to get broadband internet services although services are very limited in rural areas. Research shows that in many areas, dial-up internet is the most common source of internet services.

Sunny Saha, senior vice president and managing director, Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc., has recently announced, "We are very proud to have Thailand as the spectacular backdrop for the world's first Cartoon Network-themed Waterpark. Thailand's reputation as the Land of Smiles and perfect weather will ensure a memorable visit for guests of all ages."

The water park will feature attractions including a gigantic family wave pool, a winding adventure river, speed-racing slides, family raft rides and one of the world’s largest interactive water play fortresses for kids. The Phase 1 will cover 14 acres of coastal plains in Bang Saray and is expecting to attract up to 800,000 visitors a year when fully operational.

Pattaya is a vibrant beachfront city lined with mind-blowing architecture and luxury hotels. The condominium market is extremely popular with investors in the area, with the second half of 2012 seeing the launch of over 7,000 new units and a take-up rate as high as 69%.

Travel 150km north and you will arrive at Bangkok; a city abundant with magnificent palaces, grand temples and traditional street markets. These features have helped its tourist status grow to an unconceivable level, as shown by a recent accolade awarded to Bangkok by the Travel & Leisure Magazine, who voted it the best city to visit in the world in 2012.

The condominium market in Pattaya this year continues to show strong growth, with approximately 6,500 units in the pipeline scheduled to be launched in the first half of the year. Jomtien is set to be the major location for condominium development, especially in the mid-range to low end sectors.

While more Thai buyers are seeking condominiums in Pattaya than a few years ago, the expat market remains vibrant. In particular, Pattaya is known in some quarters as a little "Moscow-sur-Mer"; Russians have been spending and investing heavily.

Khao Kheow is a wonderful Zoo located on a green mountain, Khao is the Thai word for mountain and Kheow means green. Here you will find plants, trees, wild animals and a bird aviary. The zoo is sponsored by HM Queen Sirikit. There is a big play park for children that your kids will love and might not want to leave. Do not forget to go into the bird aviary where there are thousands of birds living.

All in all, the zoo has features that make it a great day trip for the entire family. More than 300 species and 8,000 animals populate the 5,000 rai sanctuary.